Prank 93090 220612545 2008-06-20T18:28:02Z Ohnoitsjamie 507787 added image [[Image:Office foil prank.jpg|thumb|250px|Covering a coworkers desk with [[aluminum foil]] is a common office prank]] A '''prank''' is defined as "acting like a clown or buffoon" or "dressing showily", or alternatively, "a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement"<ref name="prank">[http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=prank WordNet Search - 3.0<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. Pranks can take the forms of [[practical joke]]s, [[hoax]]es, or even petty criminal activity, such as the theft of [[traffic cone]]s.<ref>[http://www.hero.ac.uk/uk/studying/archives/2001/nightmare_on_student_stre901.cfm Nightmare on student street<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In recent years, the term "pranking" has also come to mean the ringing of a [[mobile telephone]] and hanging up before it is answered, to alert the mobile phone's user without having to pay a network connection charge. ==Etymology== The term "prank" is believed to derive from the [[Middle English]] ''pranken'', to make people run away, or perhaps from [[Middle Dutch]] ''pronken'' (from ''pronk'', show, display) and from [[Middle Low German]] ''prunken'' (from ''prank'', display).<ref>[http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/p/p0502700.html yourDictionary.com]</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==See also== {{Wiktionary}} *[[Clown]] *[[Hoax]] *[[MIT hack]] *[[Practical joke]] *[[School prank]] *[[Student prank]] *[[Computer prank]] [[Category:Practical jokes]]